Slime Dogs soar: Go 7-0 to soak up first title tun

FARMINGTON — The Slime Dogs were happy puppies when they got the word that Peter Mucher had a rare weekend off from his University of Southern Maine's fall baseball schedule.

They were even happier puppies when it turned out that Mucher was freed up the weekend of the 23rd annual Courier Cup Wiffleball Classic. His participation was instrumental in the Slime Dogs winning this year's Courier Cup. Mucher had four hits and five RBIs, including a three-run homer, in their 8-6 championship win over the defending champion Heart Breakers on Sunday at the Farmington 500 Boys & Girls Club Park.

The Slime Dogs went 7-0 over the weekend in winning their first championship (in their first trip to the final) and Mucher was named tournament MVP.

In fact, the only reason Mucher had the weekend off was because USM coach Ed Flaherty's son, Ryan Flaherty, a third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, was in Boston this past weekend playing for the O's against the Red Sox and the USM coach was in Fenway watching his son play.

"We never have weekends off," Mucher said with a smile. "I'm here by luck."

Mucher's championship imprint was immediately felt when he launched an opposite-field three-run homer in the top of the first inning to put the Slime Dogs, who never trailed, up 3-0. He followed with an RBI double and single, coupled with Codie Healey's run-scoring double to put the Slime Dogs ahead 6-1 in the top of the third. He knocked in five of his team's first six runs. But the Heart Breakers (6-1) did not go quietly. They scored three times in the third to close the gap to 6-4. Two runs scored on a pop fly when Luke Roberts tagged and beat the wild throw to home that went out of play and allowed a second run to score. Josh Edgerly followed with an RBI base hit.

Mike Varney's RBI single widened the lead to 7-4 for the Slime Dogs in the top of the fourth, but back came the Heart Breakers.

They put runners on first and second with one out in their half of the fourth. Edgerly singled, but Matt Chick was thrown out at home, drawing immediate controversy when the bang-bang play involving a hurdling Chick and Slime Dogs' catcher Micale Vachon saw the ball kicked out of play. Both teams screamed bloody murder. Soon order was restored. Chick was ruled out and Roberts was allowed to score because the ball had gone out of play to make it 7-5.

Wes Perreault singled in Edgerly to slice the margin to 7-6. Chick walked, but the next batter popped to the pitcher, Varney, to end the inning.

Varney, the team's regular pitcher, missed the first day of the tournament because his college golf team at NHTI in Concord had a match at Loudon Country Club. Dana Goodrow filled in more than adequately, going 4-0 on Saturday.

Even with Varney on the mound on Sunday, "It got scary for a minute," Healey said. "But I've got a lot of faith in Mike. He's a great pitcher. I love having Mike on the team."

The Slime Dogs tacked on an insurance run in the top of the last inning when Healey doubled to right and moved to third on Mucher's one-out single. Healey scored from there on Dana Goodrow's ground out to make it 8-6.

The Heart Breakers tried to mount a rally in their last raps, but could not capitalize. Perreault beat out an infield hit with two outs and Chick was safe on an infield single as well. With the potential winning run at the plate, Varney got the next batter on strikes to sew up the win for the Slime Dogs.

"It started getting a little hairy again, but we pulled through," Healey added.

The all-tournament team included Healey and Vachon of the Slime Dogs (all young Farmington guys age 19 to 20), the Rochester-based Heart Breakers' Perreault and Edgerly, Jon Hamel of the Kraw Sox, and Jayson Whitehouse of the Wiffle Kings. The tournament is an annual benefit event for the 500 Boys & Girls Club. Championship Sunday, other than the championship game itself, was a study in one-sided games. In the first round, the Heart Breakers beat the Farmtown Indians, 10-5; the Kraw Sox blasted the Woodchucks, 22-8; the Wiffle Kings spanked the Wild Ones, 11-1, and the Slime Dogs humbled the Devils, 11-1.

Mucher, 19, was born on Wiffle ball Saturday in 1993 when his dad, George, played in the event for the Woodchucks (four championships in the 1990s).

"Yeah, my dad didn't want to leave until the game was over and then he took my mom to the hospital," Mucher said. "Yes, I was a Wiffle ball kid."

Now he's a Wiffle ball hero.

n n n

It was that kind of Wiffle ball weekend for the Slime Dogs. Along with winning the Courier Cup, Codie Healey also won the eighth annual home run derby on Saturday. He hit four dingers, including one bomb that completely cleared the clubhouse.

Codie's dad, Ted Healey, an original Slime Dog, won the inaugural home run derby in 2005.

Donny Joy and Tom Krawczyk, the heart and soul of the four-time champion Kraw Sox, were both injured last weekend and did not play. They were there for moral support, each coaching a base. It was not the same without the classic Wiffle ball duo playing. Nick Johnson Sr. had his scheduled surgery last Friday on his right wrist. As a result, the patriarch of the Wiffle Kings was under the weather and could not make it to the tournament on Saturday. He rallied to make an appearance for a couple hours Sunday to root on his team.

The 24th annual Courier Cup is set for Sept. 14-15, 2013.

Ms. Wake has covered the Courier Cup since 1990. She lives in West Alton with her cats, Fred and Lynn.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.